Like many flawed sporting heroes, Jesse Ryder mixes brilliance on the field with recklessness off it. If you were to draw a comparison with any British sports star it would undoubtedly be Paul Gascoigne.

Like Gazza, Ryder has a long history of off-field problems linked to alcohol and has also battled weight problems throughout his career.

After months of painstaking rehabilitation from his injuries – which included a fractured skull and a punctured lung – Ryder made an emotional return to New Zealand’s one-day side on Boxing Day last year after a move from his native Wellington to Otago resurrected his career.

Less than two months later, following a late-night drinking session on the eve of the Auckland Test against India along with team-mate Doug Bracewell, the all-rounder was banished from the New Zealand setup and missed out on selection for the World Twenty20 in Bangladesh. Ryder has gone on to say he knew before that night out that he was not in the team and feels persecuted for past misdemeanours.

Nevertheless, many eyebrows were raised when the coach Paul Grayson brought him to Essex this summer. However, Grayson’s faith has been rewarded with a string of promising performances, which, among other things, has earned Essex a home quarter-final against Warwickshire in the Natwest T20 Blast on Saturday.

“I’m always first to say I’ve done some stuff that I shouldn’t have but some of the stuff that’s been written and said about me is bullshit,” says Ryder.

“It’s quite tough even to want to talk to people about it. After what happened [in Christchurch] I was just like: oh well, let’s flag the past, move on and just enjoy life. Every time someone brings up stuff that happened years ago, I’ve got no time for it any more.”

Despite a reluctance to talk about the past, Ryder admits he has found a new outlook on life since that near-death experience in Christchurch.

“I try not to let too much faze me any more,” he says. “I just want to enjoy the game instead of having everyone fuss about it and try to get in your head.

“Last season moving to Otago was a fresh start after all that stuff and it seemed to work for me. I just went down there and enjoyed myself in a new environment. Coming over here as well has made a pretty big difference, just being able to go about my business and play cricket and enjoy it again instead of worrying about other stuff.”

Ryder admits he still suffers from the physical effects of that attack. “It took probably six or seven months just to get fit enough to play cricket again. I’m not too sure if I’m 100% head-wise but I’m pretty good physically. There’s just some stuff which is not quite right – I struggle with lightheadedness sometimes and forgetfulness. It doesn’t worry me too much. As long as it doesn’t affect my cricket I’m happy.”

As for England, Ryder has embraced life in a new country far away from what he sees as the goldfish bowl of New Zealand.

“I’m loving it over here,” he says. “I’ve always wanted to play county cricket. The reputation thing is always going to stick with me but Paul Grayson rang me and said: ‘You start clean here.’ There was no problem.

“I was glad to get this opportunity, otherwise I would have been stuck at home doing nothing pretty much.

“It has been good. I don’t have to worry about all that stuff on the outside of cricket. We’ve played so much – I wasn’t expecting that – so it keeps me busy and focused.”

With New Zealand co-hosting the World Cup with Australia early next year, there is a huge incentive for Ryder to keep on the straight and narrow with Essex and continue his rehabilitation.

Yet the player himself seems much more concerned about repaying the faith Essex have shown him than making an international return.

“The World Cup will be massive for the country but that’s up to them not me,” he says. “We’ll see what happens. But to re-sign here would be my first goal. That’d be something exciting.”

Asked whether he felt the door was still open for a New Zealand comeback, Ryder admits: “I’m not too sure. I haven’t heard from them. Whichever way it goes it won’t bother me too much.”

In the meantime, the Wellington-born player is concentrating on helping Essex to a long-awaited success in the T20 format. The county, who made the last eight after topping the South group, have reached finals day on four previous occasions but have yet to win a match.

But Ryder believes things may be different this year. “I haven’t played in a Twenty20 team this good before,” he says. “On our day we’re pretty much unbeatable.”

That is a bold statement that Warwickshire may well have something to say about, but if Ryder is genuine about turning over a new leaf it may be time people started to take him seriously.